Are you an idiot, Gadjeel?

Luxus's rage intensified at my words, electricity beginning to crackle and arc around him as I released his fist. Simultaneously, a radiant light enveloped me, our auras clashing violently. Luxus was the first to strike, hurling a bolt of lightning in my direction. I quickly covered my hand with my own lightning, dissipating his attack with a sharp snap.

Fueled by anger, Luxus launched himself at me with even greater ferocity. He threw a barrage of lightning strikes, each one more powerful than the last. I dodged and deflected them, but one stray bolt veered off course, heading straight for Levy.

In an instant, Gadjeel threw himself in front of her, transforming his arm into iron to shield her from the attack. The lightning was about to hit him when I teleported in front of Gadjeel, dispersing the energy with a quick movement.

My heart pounded as I realized how serious this had become. If Gadjeel had taken that hit, he would have been seriously injured. Luxus paused, glaring at us both with seething anger. "This isn't over," he snarled, before turning on his heel and storming away.

I let out a sigh of relief, the tension easing slightly. Jett, Droy, and Levy stood nearby, watching the scene with a mixture of shock and confusion. Levy seemed like she wanted to say something, but instead, she just cast a lingering look our way before leaving with Jett and Droy.

Turning my attention to Gadjeel, I saw him covered in bruises and cuts. "Are you an idiot, Gadjeel?" I snapped, frustration lacing my voice. "Letting yourself get hurt like that and not defending yourself? I get that you feel guilty, but this is too much."

I moved closer to him, my hand glowing softly. As I directed the healing light towards Gadjeel, his wounds began to close and heal almost instantly.

He looked at me, a mix of gratitude and stubbornness in his eyes. "I know you're trying to make amends, Gadjeel, but we can't do that if you get yourself killed," I said softly, the glow from my hand fading. "We're in this together. We have to be smart about it."

Gadjeel nodded, his expression serious. "Thanks, Jade. I'll remember that."

As Gadjeel and I made our way back to the guild hall, the weight of the recent confrontation hung heavily over us. The walk was quiet, each of us lost in our thoughts. The new Fairy Tail guild hall loomed ahead, a symbol of hope and second chances. The sun had started to dip towards the horizon, casting a golden glow over the town of Magnolia.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked Gadjeel, breaking the silence.

He nodded, though his expression was somber. "Yeah. Just thinking about everything."

I understood. The hostility from our guildmates was to be expected, but it didn't make it any easier to bear. We stepped through the grand doors of the guild hall, greeted by the familiar buzz of activity. Members were bustling about, some engaged in lively conversations, others immersed in planning missions. The tension from earlier seemed to have dissipated somewhat, but I could still feel wary eyes following us.

"Let's take a mission," I suggested, wanting to prove our worth. "It'll help clear our heads."

Gadjeel agreed with a grunt, and we headed towards the mission board. The wooden board was covered with various job requests, each one promising different rewards. My eyes scanned the colorful flyers until one, in particular, caught my attention.

"Look at this one," I said, pointing to a well-decorated flyer pinned near the center of the board. "It's a request to clear out a group of bandits causing trouble near the village of Marigold. The reward is 300,000 Jewels."

Gadjeel raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a decent payout."

I nodded, pulling the flyer off the board. The details were straightforward: a group of bandits had been terrorizing the outskirts of Marigold, robbing travelers and harassing the villagers. The client, a local merchant, had promised a hefty reward for anyone who could deal with the problem. It seemed like a good opportunity to prove ourselves.

We took the flyer to Mirajane, who was tending the bar with her usual cheerful demeanor. "Ready to take on a mission?" she asked, her smile warm despite the lingering tension from earlier.

"Yeah," I replied, handing her the flyer. "We want to take this one."

Mirajane glanced at the flyer, then nodded. "Be careful out there. The village of Marigold isn't too far, but these bandits sound dangerous."

"We'll be fine," Gadjeel said confidently. "We can handle it."

Mirajane stamped our mission request, and we headed out of the guild hall, determination in our steps. The journey to Marigold took us through rolling hills and dense forests, the path winding and picturesque. As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. This was our chance to show the guild that we were serious about our commitment.

"Do you know much about Marigold?" I asked Gadjeel as we trekked through the forest.

"Not really," he admitted. "Just that it's a small village known for its flowers."

He was right. Marigold was famous for its vibrant fields of flowers, which were said to bloom year-round. As we neared the village, the air was filled with the sweet scent of blossoms, and colorful petals danced in the gentle breeze.

The village itself was quaint and charming, with cobblestone streets and small, neatly kept houses. As we entered, we were greeted by curious stares from the villagers. Word had probably spread about the trouble the bandits were causing, and they seemed relieved to see us.

We made our way to the merchant's house, a modest yet well-maintained building near the center of the village. The merchant, a middle-aged man with a worried expression, greeted us at the door.

"Thank you for coming," he said, his voice laced with relief. "The bandits have been terrorizing us for weeks. They hide in the nearby woods and attack anyone who tries to travel to or from the village."

"Don't worry," I assured him. "We'll take care of it. Can you give us any more details about the bandits?"

The merchant nodded. "There are about a dozen of them, well-armed and ruthless. They've set up camp somewhere in the forest, but we've been too afraid to go near it."

"Do you know exactly where in the forest?" Gadjeel asked.

The merchant shook his head. "I'm afraid not. But they've been attacking travelers along the main road, so their camp can't be too far from there."

"We'll start our search from the main road then," I said. "Thank you for the information."

The merchant looked grateful. "Please, be careful. These bandits are dangerous."

With a nod, we left the merchant's house and headed towards the forest. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the landscape. The forest ahead was dense and dark, the trees standing like silent sentinels.

"We should be on guard," I said, my voice low. "These bandits won't go down easily."

Gadjeel cracked his knuckles, a determined look in his eyes. "They won't know what hit them."

We moved cautiously along the main road, our senses heightened. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of wildlife conspicuously absent. It wasn't long before we spotted signs of the bandits' presence – broken branches, trampled underbrush, and discarded pieces of cloth and equipment.

"This way," I whispered, pointing to a trail that led deeper into the woods. We followed the path, our footsteps silent on the forest floor.

As we ventured further, the air grew colder, and the shadows deepened. I could feel the tension in the air, a palpable sense of danger lurking just beyond our sight. We continued on, every sound and movement catching our attention.

Finally, we reached a clearing. In the center, a small camp was set up, with tents and a few makeshift structures. A fire crackled in the middle, and around it, a group of rough-looking men and women were gathered. These were the bandits, and they looked every bit as dangerous as the merchant had described.

"We'll need a plan," I whispered to Gadjeel. "We can't just charge in."

He nodded. "I'll create a distraction. You use your light magic to take them out while they're focused on me."

"Be careful," I said, my heart pounding with anticipation.

Gadjeel smirked. "Always am."

With that, he stepped into the clearing, drawing the bandits' attention. "Hey! Looks like you picked the wrong village to mess with!"

The bandits jumped to their feet, weapons drawn. "Who the hell are you?" one of them snarled.

Gadjeel grinned. "Your worst nightmare."

With a roar, he transformed his arm into iron, charging at the bandits. They rushed to meet him, their focus entirely on the imposing figure barreling towards them. Taking advantage of the distraction, I stepped out of the shadows, my hands glowing with radiant light.

"Light Beam!" I called out, releasing a powerful blast of light energy. The beam struck several bandits, knocking them off their feet and disorienting them.

"Get her!" one of the bandits shouted, but they were too slow. I moved with precision, my light magic cutting through their defenses. Each blast of light was calculated, aimed to incapacitate rather than kill.

Gadjeel fought fiercely, his iron-clad fists smashing through the bandits' ranks. Despite their numbers, they were no match for our combined strength and strategy. Within minutes, the clearing was filled with groaning bandits, their weapons scattered and useless.